Circular-knitting machine.



F. WILCOMB.

- CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 1. I913. 1,244,672. A Patented Oct. 30,1917.

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CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I. ma.

1,244,672. Patented 0d. 30,1917.

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F. WILCOMB. CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 1. l9l3. 1,244,672. Patented Oct. 30,1917.

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tary and reciprocatory movements, though FRANK WILCOMB,=OF NORRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR '10 IHEMP'HILL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF

TION OF IRHODE ISLAND.

CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND, A. CORPORA- CIRCULAIt-KNITTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 0a. 30, 1917.

Application filed December 1, 1913. Serial No. 804,025.

To all whom z't may'co ncem: Be it known that I,- FRANK WILCOMB, citizen of the United States, residing at N OI'IlS- 'town, Pa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circular-Knitting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates in the main to spring needle stocking knitting machines, in which a needle cylinder and cams have relative roit will be understood that all featuresfof my invention are not confined to machines of- J this general type.

. One object of my invention 1s to provide, in connection with needles and web holders, for completely measuring oif and evening the newly drawn loops across the tops of the web holders previous to drawing said loops into the body of the fabric, the yarn being fed directly to the needles without the use of sinkers.

Other important objects of my invention,

togetherwith the means for carrying them into effect, will be referred to hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings- Figures 1, to 5 are views of the knitting elements showing their different positions in knitting, as follows:

Fig; 1 illustrates the position of the needles, web holders and radially sliding presser bits at the yarn'feed mouthpiece, the

prsser bits being retractedto pass the yarn feed mouthpiece, and the web holders beingin their advanced position, the needle also being elevated to take the yarn.

Fig. 2 shows the radial presser bits advanced to hold the yarn close to the needle stems and the needle retracting to take the yarn, the web holders being in the same position as in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows the position of the-radial presser bitsslightly retracted for presenting their plain faces in proper position for pressing the needle beards, as the needles retract.

Fig.- 4 shows the measuring and evening of the new loopacross the top of the web holder previous to drawing it through the old loop.

Fig. 5 shows drawing. the measured and evened new loop into the fabric.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view ,looking from inside the needle row outwardly showing the measuring off and evening of. "the new loops previous to being drawn into the fabric. f-

Fig. 7 is a view showing how the inoperative needles, are utilized to'prevent t'he "surplus yarn from being caught under the'nib of the web holder in reversing the direction of revolution of' the machine in making heels or toes.

head. v

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the knitting headsubst'antially on the line of Fig. 8 but with some parts shown in elevation.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view substantially on the line y-y of Fig. 8 but-with some parts in-elevation.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of theknitting Fig. 11 is a detail view of a modified form of yarn coiler and cutter. I

Fig. 12 is a developed view. of the cams for the needles and web holders'illustrating their relative positions.

Fig. 13 is a plan view of a horizontal secti on through the cam ring of the presser bits on line z-z of Fig. 10, indicatin in dotted lines the relation of'th'e web ho der cam path.

Figpl i is a planview of the inner cam of the web holders.

Fig. 14: is a view of a detail.

In LettersPatent of the United States granted to me September 16, 1913, #1,073,-

' ers, and these distorted loops are leveled or evened up across the tops of the webholder Y nibs.

Inmy present invention the measuring off and evening of the loops previous to being drawn into the fabric is accomplished by the conjoint action of the needles and web holders, the sinkers being omitted and the feeding of the yarn being done directly to the needles and across the tops of the web holder nibs which perform the precise function of the sinkers, needles and web holders of my previous patent-in so far that the loops are :completely measured off and evened at the same operation previous to drawing the hooks of the needles, and no other provision newly formed loops into the body of the fabric.

So far as the feeding of the yarn to spring bearded needles is concerned, it may be pointed out that when sinkers are employed the yarn is sunk between the needles below the beards and held taut across the stems while the needles are being retracted until the beard is below the line .of the sunken taut loops,'thus insuring that the needle takes the yarn without splitting it. p When latch needles are employed, the" latches in closing throw the yarn under the is needed to' insure the taking of the yarn by the needles.

In my present invention where the bearded needles are fed direct, an improved yarn delivery device is used by me to direct the yarn as close as possible to the tops of the web holder nibs and beneath the needle beards, and working in conjunction with this, presser bits are employed to hold the yarn close to the needle stems, and furthermore I prefer to groove the presser means vertically to receive the spring beards of the needles and properly control them in .taking the yarn which is held close to the as means to measure off the new loops.

It is true that spring beard needles may be supplied with "yarn direct, i. (2., without sinkers, and each needle draw its own loop directly into the fabric, without previous measuring and evening, in the'same mannor as with latch needles, but in this case the loop formation is open to the objections of latch needle knitting and the fabric produced is not equal in quality or appearance to true spring needle knitting where each new loop is measured in advance of casting off the old loop, and is drawn into the fabric without rendering from needle to needle.

By my invention, while sinkers are not employed, but direct feeding of the needles is used instead, I am still able to get the results of true spring needle knitting in ,that each loop side is equal in length to all others, and the measured loop, when drawn into the fabric, is precisely the same in form and relation to other loops, as in true spring needle knitting where sinkers are employed, and in which rendering of the yarn from needle to needle is avoided.

The difficulty of feeding successfully independently operated spring needles direct is fully appreciated by knitters, and various suggestions have been made to meet the difliculties, an example of which is illus trated in Letters Patent of the United States granted to J. Hollen, 11,995, November 28, 1854; 25,827, October 18, 1859, and the feeder 14 shown in patent of T.

Fowler, 13,165, July 3, 1855, and also the .patent to Crane, 1,027,034, May 21, 1912,

it being understood that independently operated direct fed spring needles were old and common prior to the use of latch needles and later.

The knitting elements employed to carry vertically ,in grooves in the cylinder, being operated by cams in the usual way. The sliding web holders 1 are provided each with an upper nib or barb and a lower nose with a throat between them, as is usual.

The pressing means may be of different forms, but in the particular machine illustrated as exemplifying my invention I employ independently operated presser bits 2 having their stems extending radially outward from the needle cylinder and slidable in grooves in a bed 3 surrounding the needle cylinder and operated by cams in a cam ring 4. The presser bits have depending noses 5 attheir inner ends provided with inclined grooves 6 in vertical radial planes adapted to receive the needle beards, and guide them should any of the beards or the needles be crooked, for which purpose the grooves flare upwardly, presenting wide upper mouths to take the needle beards should they be misplaced. These grooves taper downwardly and merge into the plain pressing face of the presser bits at 6'.

The presser bits are each provided with inclined tops at 7 for a purpose hereinafter described. 5

The means for directing the yarn to the knitting elements includes a member or members 8 which, as shown in Figs. 1 and- 10, incline from their lower ends, which I arenas; to the needle stems, upwardly and j outwardly, so that the beards of the elevated needleswill clear them. .These members piece, the; radial presser bits are advanced 'by the ,cam portion 12 to position their '8 have a narrow slot between them for the -passage of the yarns when in work or for maintaining .proper relation of the yarns ing yarn from leg to heel and toe, or the reverse,in knitting hosiery.- The yarns are fed through carriers the ends of which are hya'rn by .the beard as the needle retracts.

This advanced position of the presser bit and itsfunction of controlling the position or guide 8,-8.

when out of work, as in' the case of changindicated at. 9 located at a considerable dis tance from the needles. These carriers as in usual practice are lowered to the posit1on shown-'at 'v in Figs. 6, 8 and 10 to throw the yarninto work 'or raised into the position w to throw the yarn out of work, and in both positions the yarn vextends through the narrow slot in the feed mouth The members for the thread and an inclined edge for possible to the horizontal plane of thetops I directing the yarn with certainty thereto. The rests are arranged close to the needle stems and well under the needle beards at the point where the needles arejelevated .to receive the yarn, and in respect to the 'webvholders the rests'are located as close as of the web holder nibs as shown in Figs. 1

and 6, to deliver the yarn substantially in a the horizontal plane of the tops ofthe said nibs.

It will be understood that in round and" round knitting only one of the yarn guide.

or mouth piece members is in service, while in reclprocating'knlttmg for making heels and toes both members are utilized, the yarn being directed to the right or left and being 1 guided by one member or the'other in ac-- cordance with the direction the needle cylinder.

K nith'hg operatz'am The knitting operation is illustrated in Figs. 1' to 6, wherein is shown the yarnbeing'delivered by the mouthpiece or guide close to the stems of the needles, under the beards, and close to the tops of the web holders.

It will be seen alsothat the yarn is delivered below ,the tops of the radial presser bits which are employed as stated above for I pressing the needle beards. Therefore pro- Vision is made to afford room for the proper that in the machine chosen to illustrate my invention the needle cylinder, together with the presser bits and web holders, revolve have each a hook or rest 10 of rotation of a while the cams for operating these elements remain fixed.

After leaving the yarn delivery mouthnoses against'or in close proximity to the stems ofthe needles to aid in positioning and maintaining-the yarn well under the needle beard and close to the stem of the needle to insure the proper taking of this ofithe yarn to be taken by the needle beard is illustrated in Fig.2. In this position the In this advanced position also the receive the beard as the needle retracts, so as to guide the heard in case it or the needle is slightly bent, and as the yarn is held against the needle stem by the walls of the nose on each side of the groove, the needle beard will pass over the yarn as shown in,

Fig. 2. The presser bits are next slightly retracted and thereby assume the position shown in Fig. 3 for pressing, the needle beard for this action working against the plain face of the presser bit nose below its. I inclined groove.

' In this Fig. 3 the beard is shown. as

pressed and is entering the old loop. For thus retracting. the presser bit to the pressing position, the cam path for the butts of.

the presserlbits hasythe cam surface 13 'which may be provided by a disk seated in a counter bore of'the cam ringwher'ein it is held by a screw.

During the pressing action, the presser bits are backed up by a. presser device which may be in the formfof a,presser wheel 14 or in the form of a fixed presser 15 adjustably mounted in the cam ring. I have shown a presser wheel to perform the pressing" function while the machine is rotatin in one direction, and the fixed presser w ile.

the machine is rotating-in the other direction.

The presser Wheel and the fixed presser device may serve simply as a backing for the presser bits when pressing is to bedo'ne,

or they may move the presser bits slightly forward to effect the pressing action.

After leaving the presser wheel, the presser bits remain in a normally retracted position out .of alineinent with the vertical movement of the needles. Centrifugal force will move the presser bits to their full retracted positions after leaving the pressor wheel. After the pressing action takes place the continued downward movement of-the needle will measure off and even up the new loops over the tops of the Web holder nibs, which web holders remain in their advanced positions. This measuring and evening action is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6, it being observed that the measuring and evening action is a distinct operation from and takes place previous to the action of drawing the new loops through the old.

A number of needles are shown in Fig. 6 in their position for measuring the new loops across the nibs of the web holders. After the measuring and evening action, the web-holders are retracted from the position of Fig. 4 to that of Fig. 5, thus withdrawing them from the measured and evened loops which are then drawn down into the fabric by the further retraction of the needle as illustrated in the last named figure, and at the left of Fig. 6. Following the draw ing of the new loops into the fabric the web holders are advanced to knock over the old 100p and hold the fabric against rising with the advancing needles when these are raised again, as shown in Fig. 1. This completes the cycle of knitting operations.

Referring to the presser bits having their stems extending radially from their nose ends to their butts and slidable in a radially grooved bed, it will be seen that this arrangement renders it readily possible to employ a. presser device made up of an ordinary plain periphery presser wheel and a toothed presser wheel by which tucking can be done, these wheels being adjustable relative to each other, so that either one or the other will be effective.

Another advantage of the radially sliding presser bits is that the heelsor butt ends are widely separated, being .at a larger diameter than the needles, and a cam plate operating against the heels will have a much lower angle than if located nearer the needle circle, thus adding to the effectiveness and life of the parts.

The web holder bed 16 is supported on the needle cylinder, being held by the screw'17;

is. rotate said series in unison with the needle cylinder, and the presser bit bed 3 is rotated by the presser bits bearing in the grooves of said bed-.- These beds for the web holder and presser bits rotate within an outer ring 19 which is fixed to a standard 20 by the screw 21, Fig. 9. This outer ring has attached thereto the push cams 22, 22, Figs.

8 and 13, for advancing the web holders inwardly to the position for knocking ofi the old loops and engaging the fabric to hold it against rising with the needles. These cams consist of arms pivotally mounted for adjustment at 23 to the outer cam ring. The push cams will be held in any adjusted position by the set or pinch screw 24.

The inner cam ring 25 for the web holders has the outthrow cams 26, Figs. 8 and 14, for retracting the web holders as shown in Fig. 5 to permit the new loops which have been measured off to be drawn into the fabric.

This inner camring is held or controlled as to its circumferential position by a pin 27 Figs. 10 andll on the inner cam ring en gaging an opening 28 in the fixed outer cam ring 19. The cam ring 4 for the presser bits overlies the said bits, and is secured in any suitable way to the outer cam ring 19.

It is customary in knitting machines for making heel and toe pockets such as the machine of the Hemphill type to have a web holder cam ring which has a shogging motion as the cylinder reciprocates. Said ring carries an outthrow cam and two adjustable push or knock over cams, the rings being made in onepiece and shifting all of its cams, by its shogging movements, in relation to the needles in the back and forth motion. As distinguished from this construction I employ as above described an outer fixed or non-shogging ring attached rigidly to the frame of the machine, and as this encircles the web holder bed which is attached to the needle cylinder these parts are held to run true and without tendency to oscillate. While this outer cam ring 19 as just stated is fixed, the inner cam ring 25 may be shogged if desired in substantially the same manner that web holder cam rings are ordinarily shogged. this involving in the present case simply widening the opening 28 in the outer cam ring for the stop or, guide pin 27 to travel in circumferentially, and adjustable stops can be furnished if desired on the two sides of the mouth or opening for the pin 27 to strike for the shogging action. In my present type of machine a shogging movement of the web holder cam ring is not desired or necessary, and I have therefore shown the pin 27 on the inner cam ring fitting the opening in the outer cam ring, Fig. 14, but substantially the same construction can be used for shogging by enlarging the space or opening in which the projection 27 is located, as indicated in Fig. 14:.

The advantage of my two-part construction of web holder cam ring lies mainly in the convenience of assembling or dismantling this part of the machine. Ordinarily it requires care and time to make the web holder butts aline with their cam path when this is formed on the under side of a single cam ring. This objection is overcome with my construction as the inner cam ring with its cams is simply dropped: into place on top of the web holder bed and within the circle of the web holder butts, and these butts, are then pushed up against-the cam, thus making them assume. proper positionsto aline with the cams of the outer cam ring which may then be readily placed in position Needle e'vener'means. e As the radiallysliding presser bits rotate in a prescribed path, and present their grooved noses in certain position for taking the needle beards, it becomes desirable that all the needles travel in. their prescribed circular path during the. time they are-receiving the yarn and also". when pressing is tak-' ing place. The needles frequently become slightly bent and their beards might be considerably out of proper position unless means are provided ,to compensate for the irregularities in the needles. I therefore employ a needle evener 29 within the needle row consisting of a plate fixed to a non-rotating part of the machine, the outer edge of the plate engaging the backts of the needles and forcing all of them into their prescribed circle whether-crooked ornot, and this evenlng'or alini-ng actiontakes place at the point in the needle circle, where the needles take the yarn and where pressing of the beards occurs. This evener. therefore appears in Fig. 2, the needle being forced outwardly slightly or evened upso that its beard will enter the inclined-groovein the nose of the presser -we11. outside the yarn. This evener is also indicated in .Fig. 3, where pressing of the needle beards is done. Fig. 8 indicates'the eveners in dupli cate, one being effectiye during rotation of y the needle cylinder in one direction and the an elevated position higher than the highest position of the needles'in knitting, which is ordinary practice, and during narrowing ad-t ditional needles are elevated by picking in the ordinary way. As the cylinder reciprocates for narrowing and widening, the yarn extending from the last needle in knittingto the thread carrier or mouthpiece must be taken up by a takeup sweep in the ordinary way. As the yarn lies so low, almost or quite on top of the web holders, it is liable to drop'below the web holder nibs when the web holders retract to permit new loops to. be drawn into the fabric, and as the web.

holders then advance to knock 'over loops and engage the fabrie these strands of yarn would be caught in-the throats'of-the web holders, preventing the take up sweeps from taking up this surplus yarn on the opposite reciprocation of the cylinder unless means are provided to prevent it.

My means consists of an interiorly. arranged pair of push plates 30, Figs. 7 and 8, situated adjacent to the web holder retracting cams, but nearly in radial alinement with the withdrawal part 26, Fig. 8, of the web holder: cam. This push plate does not come in contact with any of the needles in knitting, as the operative needles are retracted below the plane of these push plates, but all the elevated inoperative instep needlesare ,pushed'out of their vertical plane and force the strand of yarn onto the nib of the-web holders as they pass this point, as shown in Fig. 7, and-effectually prevent the yarn being drawn below the nibs and into the throats of the web holders. Thus a free take up of the yarn is permitted on the return stroke of the knitting. These two push plates are radially adjustable, inside the curnferentially.

" Fig. 7 illustrates the described,

needle row, and arealso adjustable cirthe elevatedinoperativeneedle being shown in full lines pushed out from the normal needle circle indicatedby the needle shown in dotted lines, and it will be seen that the yarn running from the mouth piece 8 to the last'needle in knitting-r set, the retracted or.

lowered'needle -will be held by the deflected inoperative needleon top of. the web holder nib. so that 'as thecyli'nder reverses its stroke this yarn can bet -kenup" by the take-up sweep, which it could not -do had the yarn lodged beneath the nib, 1n the throat of the web holder. I

Cams m needles ami;. tp'qb homes.

. The relation of the cams ofthe web holder and presser and 14. r

- From Fig. 12 it will seen that the needle bits will be clear from 13 cams comprise a loop measuring cam 31 and a stitch cam 32 and the relation of these cams to the web holder cam path and particularly the retracting cam 26 will be clear from the developed view of these cams in said Fig. 12.

As in my Letters Patent of March 9, 1915,

No. 1,131,583, the two stitch cams may have,

during reciprocating knitting, a back and forth adjustment-along the needle stems, and

in respect to each other in opposite directions, and it will ofcourse be understood that the "Various cams above escribed are I employed in duplicate sets one for knitting in one direction and the other for knitting in the other direction. This is true also of the evener means, the push plates 30, and presser means, and as shown and described previously the mouth piece is constructed to deliver the yarns for either direction of Imitting.

The instep cam for making one set of needles inoperative in an elevated plane is indicated at 33.

It is customary in circular stocking knitting machines to have a clearing plate inside the needle row to hold the heel and toe pocket from bulging up and interfering with the threads, and I have provided such a plate 34 which generally speaking is of usual form. It is also common to provide some means connected to or adjacent this plate to take care of the ends of the inoperative yarns, or in other words the several yarns which are not in work. The usual means for controlling the idle' yarns consists of a yarnclamp and shears for severing the yarn when it is made inoperative so as to prevent the several yarns which otherwise would beattached to the fabric from twisting into a rope and preventing the free passage of the fabric downward through the cylinder. For illustration the well known Banner machine has shears and a clamp, and the device shown in -my Patent #645,676, March 20, 1900 consists of a scroll.

. Where shears are used and several threads are put under the clamp, some one or more of the threads are liable to slip out owing to accumulations of lint or to several thicknesses of yarn collecting in one spot, thus preventing the clamp from holding all the threads. I have provided a centrally arranged thread coiler 34' which is designed to turn in the same direction as the cylinder, and to turn in unison with it approximately. The'coiler has a conical shaped lower end 35 and a very small slightly tapered spindle point 36. The coiler stem 37, the cone and the spindle point have a slot longitudinally of the spindle, and in this slot is arranged a sliding blade 38, the upper end having a butt 39 to travel in a fixed cam path 39 to reciprocate the blade, the lower end working in the lower spindle point,\and having a series of fine steps or teeth 40, each step being slightly lower than the one above it, and

will be driven inthe same direction with the needle cylinder, and at a proper speed to take care of the yarns. The coiler will take care of a number of idle yarns at once.

The fixed cam path 39 for receiving the blade butt 39 is provided by an inner sleeve 39 fixed in the bracket 39 in which sleeve the coiler shaft or stem 37 rotates. The upper end of this sleeve is enlarged and has a part of the cam path formed therein, the other part of said cam path being provided by a cap piece 50 held against rotation by a pin and notch connection between this cap portion and the enlarged upper end of the sleeve.

The clearer plate 34 is attached to the bracket 39 and maintains a fixed position within the needle circle during the operation of the machine.

This clearer plate furnishes the support for the needle eveners 29 and needle push plates 30 above described. These needle eveners and push plates are mounted to be adjusted either radially or circumferentially of the needle circle.

In describing the operation of taking care of the yarns when out of work and of throwing them into work, we will suppose that all the yarns are out of work and are not being knit, in which case all these inoperative yarns will run from the yarn fingers or carriers 9 through the slot between the upper parts of the mouth piecemembers 8, thence toward the center of the needle circle, where they extend down through a space or opening a in the clearer plate to the under side of said plate and between the clearer plate and a spring restraining or binder plate 51. This binder plate is in the form of a thin leaf spring being screwed to the under face of the clearer plate at 52, and having an opening through which a pin 53 passes, said pin being secured to the under face of the clearer plate. The yarns which extend as just stated between the spring restraining plate 51 and the bottom of the clearer plate extend around or are deflected bythe pin 53, and are directed thereby to the coiler. as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8, and in Figs. 9 and 10. The point where the one inoperative yarn was thrown out of work is indicated in Figs. 8 and 9 at b, and the course of the yarn about the coiler between the spring restraining plate and clearer plate and thence to the yarn carriers can be followed out in Figs. 8 and 9.

The restraining spring applies a yielding pressure to the yarns and offers sufficient resistance to cause proper coiling of the yarn on the coiler under the rotary movement of the latter. The flexing of this spring plate is not interfered with by the pin 53 because the opening in the spring plate allows it free movement on the pin.

A continuous rotation of the coiler intime with and in the same direction with the cylinder draws constantly from the thread carriers a small amount of yarn which is coiled on the coiler spindle until discharged by the pusher blade-38. This blade performs an up and down stroke at each reVO- lution of the coiler shoving the coils of yarn down off the coiler spindle so that it hangs like a coil spring, as shown in Fig.9 within the cylinder. As long as any yarn is out of work it will continue to be drawn upon slowly by the coiler and thus taken care. of at the center of the needle circle.

Fig. 8 shows a number of yarns out of work, their yarn fingers or carriers all being raised while one yarn'has been lowered 'to the needle path at 0 to be taken by the needles in due order, and-the yarn finger for this particular yarn is shown down. Fig. 10' also shows a similar-relation of inoperative yarns with their elevated yarn carriers and'thatone' yarn carrier has been lowered to direct its thread across the needle circle, and in a plane below that-of the needle beards, and knitting will be begun with this yarn on the retraction of the active needles. The end of this yarn which y will finally, be pulled out from the spring 4 clamping or restraining plate 51 and knithas just been introduced reaches from .the

point 0 at the needle circle through the opening a in the clearer plate, between 1t and the spring tension plate 51 to the coiler, and as the machine continues its revolutions in the arrowdirection, Fig. 8, the clearer plate remaining stationary, the yarn carried around by its point of engagement with the revolving needle circle will strike against and pass under the upwardly extending horn at of the clearer plate, and the revolution continuing this yarn will be carried under the upwardly curved projectionse, 7", and

ting may then go on for an indefinite period. Brlefly stated, the horn (1, Fig.8, receives the yarn under it when the yarn is raised out of work,'beca use the revolution of the machine carries the yarn thereunder owing to its end remaining attached to the fabric at the needle circle, and this horn directs the lnoperative yarn between the spring clamp 51 and the clearing plate, and the continued "re volution carries it partly about the pin 53 and to the coiler.

When the yarn is lowered into work, that part lying between the point 0 at the needle circle andtheclearer plate will be directed under the horn d as the needle circle revolves, and under the clearer plate projections e, 7, because of the low lying position of this newly introduced yarn. The continued revolution of the machine after the newly introduced yarn passes under the upturned projections e, f, will pull the section threads has no tendency to twist the yarn or draw the fabric inwardly because the coiler is turning. in unison with the cylin der and pulling and coiling a fresh supply of yarn at each revolution.

The coiling mechanism described renders it impossible to lose control of one of the yarns, such as may happen with the known forms of clamps and shears. All the inoperative threads are kept taut and are thus inthemost satisfactory condition to be introduced to the needles when desired.

The above described yarn coiler answers all requirements excepting when the stockings are to be dropped oii from the needles automatically and a new one started'automatically. Stockings other than half-hose are generally made in a long string and are cut apart with shears by hand, or are broken apart, but to automatically drop the stocking off of the needles and start a new one automatically is sometimes desirable, and in this particular instance the stockings would all be tied together by this coil of yarns extending from one stocking to another. Therefore I have provided a modification of this coiler Fig. 11. It has a shoulderon the lower end of the coiler in place of the spindle 36, and one or more sliding blades 55 are used having chisel or cutting edges at their lower ends, and as the yarn is wound around the coiler the chisel severs the coils and by this arrangement there are no loose ordepending thread coils as in Figs. 9 and 10, but the severed ends of the yarn are in this caseheld by the clamping plate 51 similar to the usual construction where shears are employed.

. The bracket carrying the clearer plate is pivoted to the standard 20 at 57, so that the clearer plate with all the parts supported thereby can be swung up to clear the interior of the needle cylinder, and the needle circle for transferring orlother purposes. The shaft or pivot of the bracket has a disk 58 fixed thereto and a spring 59 is attached 'these points. As before stated, the eveners 30 are similarly mounted.

tion at 60, but when the bracket is swung up the spring will serve to hold it up because the pull of the spring is then sufficient for this purpose. v

As before stated, the band 42 serves to drive the coiler. I prefer to makethis band of spring material such as a coiled wire spring, and in this case the spring 59 could be dispensed with and the spring band used to counterbalance the weight of the pivoted bracket, it being understood that the spring band would be 'put on the pulleys under tension.

For better taking care of the band when the bracket israised, I prefer to use hooks orbearings 61 adjacent the pivot of the bracket, so that when the bracketis raised the intermediate part of the spring band will engage these hooks or bearings and take up the slack by causing the band to bend at '29 are mounted on the plate within the needle circle, These eveners are of bent form,

and pass through slots in the plate, being held by screws 63, and by their forked ends engaging pins 64 projecting from the under ride of the clearer plate. The push plates I claim as my invention 1. In a knitting machine, the combination of individually operated spring needles, individually operated Web holders, means for guiding the yarn directly to. the stems of the needles and across the tops of the web holders, and means for operating the needles to first measure off the new loop lengths across the tops of and between the advanced web holders without drawing the new loops into the fabric and then retracting the web holders and drawing said measured new loops into the fabric by the further movement of the needles, substantially as described.

2. In a knitting machine, the combination of individually operated spring needles,

individually operated web holders, means for guiding the yarn directly to the stems of the needles and across the tops of the web holders, and means for operating the needles to first measure ofi a series of new loop lengths across the tops of and between the web holders of an advanced group and without drawing the new loops into the fabric and then retracting the web holders in succession and drawing said measured new inder, and having a lower rest close to the needle stems below the beards for guiding knitting machine,

retracting them to position for guide having also a yarn directing 'portion.

inclining in the direction of the rotation of the cylinder and a low rest close to the needle stems for directing the yarn to the spring beard needles below their beards. substantially as described.

5. In combination in a circular stocking individually operated spring needles,. individually operated web holders, thread carriers, and a fixed mouth piece having a path to receive the yarns from the yarn fingers, said mouth piece having downwardly diverging guiding edges and a lower rest for the yarns close to the plane of the top of the web holders to direct the yarn against the needle stems below the beards, and onto the tops of the web-holders, the needles first measuring OE and evening the loopsacross the tops of the web holders without drawing said'loops into the fabric, and then drawing said loops into the fabric after the web holders have retracted, substantially as described. 6. In combination in a circular knitting machine, individually operated spring nee dles, individually operated web holders, means for feeding yarn directly to the stems of the needles below the beards, individually operated presser bits each having an inclined yarn engaging face to maintain the yarn close to the stem of the needle, said presser bits being grooved vertically to receive the needle beards as they pass over the 1 thread, substantially as described.

7. In combination in.-a circular knitting machine, individually operated spring needles, individually operated web holders, means for feeding the yarn close against the needle stems, individually operated presser bits having inclined grooved faces to maintain the thread close to the needle stems and to receive the beards, said pressers having a plain face,' below the grooved portion, for pressing, substantially as described.

8. In combination in a circular spring needleknitting machine, individually operated spring'needles, individually operated web holders, individually operated presser bits having each a support for the thread to hold it close to the needle stem, said pressers having verticalgrooves to receive theneedle beards, and means for controlling the presser bits to advance them to thread and ing and beard receiving position, and for pressing, substantially as described.

9. In combination in a circular knitting machine, individually operated spring needles, individually operated web holders, individually operated grooved presser bits, a yarn feeding device for delivering the yarn below the needle beards and close to the plane and across the tops of'the web holders and across the grooves of the pressers, and controlling means for the presser bits to retract them to pass the feeder device, advance them for holding the thread close to the needle stems, and for receiving the needle beards in their grooves, and to efi'ect the retraction of the presser bits-for pressing the needle beards, substantially as described 10. In combination in a circular knitting machine, individually operated spring needles, individually operated presser bits having grooved noses and portions to hold the yarn close to the needle stems, cam means for advancing the presser bits to hold the yarn close to the needle stems and to receive the needle beards and to eifect retraction of the presser bits into position for pressing the beards, and a presser operating upon the presser bits, substantially as described.

11. In combination in a circular stocking knitting machine, individually operated needles, individually operated web holders, individually operated presser bit-s having their stems extending radially, a cylinder for the needles, a bed in which the presser bits slide,

a yarn feeder mouth piece extending below the plane of the top of the presser bits and directing the yarn close to the needle stems for either round and round or reciprocating knitting, and presser means operating upon the outer ends of the presser bits, said pressers acting first to present the yarn to the needles and second to press the needle beards, substantially as described.

12. In-combination in a circular knitting machine, individually operated spring needles, individually operated presser bits having inclined portions to receive and hold the thread and grooves across which the threads lie, and which receive the beards, and evener means on the inside of the needle row to hold the needles in alinement at the points where they take the yarn and press, substantially as described.

13. In combination individually operated spring beard needles, individually operated web holders, and individually operated presser bits sliding radially in a plane above the web holders and having noses at their inner ends depending between the web holders to engage the needle beards, the upper portions of said noses being grooved to receive the needle beards and their lower ends being plain to press the beards, and means for operating the presser bits, substantially as described.

14. In combination in a circular knitting machine, individually operated needles and web holders, the inoperative needles being elevated above the plane of the needles in knitting, and means for moving the elevated, inoperative needles outwardly to hold the surplus yarn strand on top of the web holder nibs out of engagement with the throat of the web holders, substantially as described.

15. In combination in a circular knitting machine having round and round and reciprocating movements for making stockings with heel and toe pockets, and in which the inoperative needles are elevated above the operative needles, individually operated web holders with cam means for retracting them to permit the loops to be drawn into the fabric by the retracting needles, and a pusher operating inside the needle row adjacent the point where the web holders are retracted for pushing the elevated inoperative needles outwardly to hold the newly supplied strand of yarn on top of the web holder nibs, substantially as described.

16. In combination in a circular knitting machine, a rotary needle cylinder, spring needles, radially sliding web holders, a web ers whereby'the series of presser bits with their bed are rotated, substantially as described.

17. In combination in a spring needl knitting machine, spring beard needles, and devices for presenting the yarn to the needles and for pressing the needle beards, said devices having side walls across the inner edges of which the yarn is laid, said devices having a space between said side walls receiving the needle beards, and a surface for pressing the beards, and means for moving said devices toward and from the needles, substantially as described.

18. In combination in a spring needle knitting machine, spring needles, web-holders and devices for presenting the yarn to the needles and for pressing the needle beards, said devices having side walls above the web-holders across the inner edges of needles and guiding the beards, and portions for pressing the needle beards, the yarn presenting and beard guiding portions beingv above the web holders and the beard pressing portions being between the web holders, and means for moving said devices radially. 20. In combination in a spring needle knitting machine, a rotary needle cylinder, spring beard needles, radially movable web W holders, engaging the cylinder and driven thereby, a series of pressers, movable radially and having noses depending between the web holders by which said pressers are rotated as a series, and beds for the webholders and pressers rotated by said parts, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK WILGOMB.

- Witnesses.

H. J. GREIER, A. E. JEREoKs. 

